Music Box
by TheCapillary
Summary: Takes place around issue 5 of Ultimate X-men. Ororo and Hank go out shopping in New York on a day off. One shot.


Henry McCoy, better known as Hank to his friends and Beast to the world, was walking the streets of downtown New York City with his girlfriend, Ororo Munro. They were walking hand in hand, along the dozens of shops and kiosks, occasionally stopping to point and discuss the objects displayed in the windows.

It would be a perfect evening had Hank not felt like he was constantly under a microscope. Ironic, since he spent a good portion of his days staring down the eyepiece of one. Today, however, he seemed to feel more scrutinized than on any previous outings. Along with his enlarged upper body that he developed at puberty, earning him the nick name "Ape Boy" in high school, he had recently acquired blue hair from a recent heart surgery that saved his life.

Hank, of course, knew he wasn't the only man to have blue hair in New York City; many non mutants dyed their hair an odd array of colours. But when all one ever wanted to do was have a normal body type, any other deviations made one feel more on display for people to point out and criticize.

Having a drop dead gorgeous girlfriend didn't help to put Hank under the radar either.

"Hank? Hello Hanky boy!" Ororo waved a hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry." Hank apologized, feeling a blush spread across his cheeks.

"You alright?" Ororo asked, pulling him over to the stores and out of the way of the sidewalk traffic, "You're really out of it today, something up?"

Hank hung his head and shrugged his shoulders, it was easier to lie when you didn't have to look in someone's eyes, "Nothing. It's nothing. Let's keep going."

Ororo raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips, "Liar."

Hank looked away from the concrete and out to the sidewalk filled with people; Ororo didn't have to tell him was a bad liar. He sighed and replied, "I don't think I'll ever get used to being out in public anymore. I keep having this feeling that a bottle or bat is going to be thrown at me from behind."

Ororo rolled her eyes and then smiled at him, "Will you relax? I mean, that was the whole point of getting out of that stuffy mansion in the first place. Besides, we're shopping, nothing is going to happen. And if you're worried about your new blue hairdo, stop. You've got nothing on me. My hair's always been whiter than any granny's on the streets tonight."

Hank smiled, Ororo had a point, even if it didn't take into consideration his body type. He looked at Ororo again and noticed she had broken into a huge smile herself, making her at least ten times more beautiful than she already was. Hank had to look away again, a more intense blush spread across his face.

Ororo just laughed, making his stomach flip flop, "That's my Hanky boy."

Hank cringed at the name, "Ororo, please, don't call me that. At least, not in public."

Ororo did a mock pout, sticking out her bottom lip, "Aw, but Hanky boy, there are millions of people in NYC, no one's going to remember that you're my Hanky boy."

Hank cringed again, "I somehow doubt that." Ororo laughed again, "Come on Mr. McCoy, lighten up. We're here to shop, let's spend money and have fun."

Hank sighed, "You lead the way, Ms. Munro."

Ororo didn't have to lead very far. She jumped excitedly at the next store window pointing and exclaiming, "Oh my God, Hank! Look! It's a barrel organ grinder."

Hank looked at the store's sign, "Music Box Mania" and replied, "It's a music box."

"Which makes it way more cool!" Ororo said, still excitedly, "Let's go inside and buy it."

"Ororo, Professor Xavier lowered your limit after you last purchase. I don't think you have enough credit for that." Hank reminded her.

"Damn." Ororo said, looking a little disappointed.

When Ororo didn't move from the window, Hank almost waved his hand in front of her face, but stopped when a distant look occupied her eyes.

"Ororo?" Hank asked, it was his turn now to get rid of the funk.

"Hmm? Yes, I'm coming." Ororo said absently.

With a blink she looked away from the store window and said, "Let's go." And bolted down the sideway. Hank didn't have much choice in the matter but to follow: he may have super strength, but it was almost useless when it came to Ororo. Although, after a block and a half, it was Hank's turn to reel Ororo to the side of the sidewalk, out of the way of the pedestrian traffic.

"Ororo, what's the matter?" Hank asked when he sat her down on a sidewalk bench; she looked almost on the verge of tears.

"I don't know. Ok, so I do know, but I don't know how to say it." Ororo said, looking at her shoes, "I guess the music box brought up a couple bad memories of Cairo. It's no biggie."

"That my dear, is a lie." Hank accused lightly.

Ororo looked up and laughed, "I know, but it's better than you could ever have done."

Hank chuckled, but then asked somberly, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ororo sighed, "There's not much to say. There was a guy, an organ barrel grinder, who played on the street corner where I slept a lot. He was a nice guy, shared his lunch with me a lot even though he didn't have much more than dirt to eat most days. I don't really know why it makes me sad seeing a music box that looks almost like him. Maybe it's because when I left that street, and that country, I haven't done anything with myself. I mean, the guy had didn't have more than me, but he still shared you know? I and what've I shared with people?"

Hank wasn't sure what to say. After all, what sort of problems did bacteria have?

"All that from a music box?" Hank asked a little bleakly.

Ororo then laughed and threw her arms around Hank's neck, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bum our shopping trip."

Hank, a little embarrassed by public affection so blatant, only managed to wrap one arm around her waist, "That's quite alright. We seemed to have bummed each other out."

"Well, at least it didn't happen in the mansion. I think Jean's been ready to kill us for weeks." Ororo said sitting back down, taking Hank's free hand into both of hers.

Hank only nodded, finding himself retreating to his thoughts again; there was something wrong with what Ororo had said and it was sitting at the edge of his mind.

"So anyway, let's keep going, I want to—" Ororo started.

"No, I don't think that's right." Hank said out loud, partly to himself, and partly to Ororo.

Ororo was confused by the interruption, "Uh, what?"

"What you said about sharing with other people, I don't think what you said is right." Hank said, "I think you do share."

He turned to look at Ororo after he finished his sentence and saw that she was giving him a confused look.

"Hank," Ororo began, "I know you're trying to be a good and supportive boyfriend, but sometimes that means leaving criticism where criticism is due. Trying to tell me I'm better than what I think I am is not always healthy for a person, especially if that kind of person is me."

Hank sighed, "Fine, but I still think you share."

"Thieves don't share."

"You do."

"How so?" Ororo finally challenged him.

Hank paused for a second, choosing his words, "You share, I think, by being open."

Ororo raised one eyebrow, "Wha?"

"The man with the organ grinder, he was open. He was willing to share what little material wealth he had. You share what happiness you have with the rest of the team. I don't think there is a day that goes by that you don't make people smile when you walk into a room." Hank explained, "You have a willingness to be open and a willingness to learn, and that affects everybody on the team. I can only speak for myself, but I've become more open and happy since we started getting to know each other."

"Wow…" Ororo said, a little overwhelmed by Hank's words, "Your female classmates in high school? They have no idea what they just missed."

Hank felt suddenly embarrassed and sheepish; he had poured quite a bit of his heart out into that statement. It was something he wasn't used to doing. He looked at his hand being held by Ororo's two small hands; Hank's hand was massive compared to Ororo's well worn and petite hands. He once again felt on a pedestal displayed for the world to point and laugh at.

"Oh Hank," Ororo sighed and leaned in close to his face, "I could kiss you."

Hank moved his head away an inch, surprised by how close Ororo had moved, "Well, uh, maybe later when we're at home."

Ororo laughed delightfully, seeming to have gotten out of her funk, "But that's such a long time, can't I just kiss you here?"

"But there are people!" Hank protested.

"So? It'll be a real quick one. I promise." Ororo replied, with a mischievous grin.

Try as he might, Hank couldn't help but give in, "Oh alright."

Ororo had, of course, lied. The kiss was not short, but Hank didn't protest any further. He felt his stomach flip and flop a little, but he was enjoying himself. And for the first time in a long time, Hank didn't feel like being on a pedestal was a bad thing. Who could when you're making out with a drop dead gorgeous woman named Ororo Munroe?


End file.
